Initiated

What we see and hear, we don't always understand.

The reason I speak to them in parables is that seeing they do not perceive, and hearing they do not listen, nor do they understand. With them indeed is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah that says: You will indeed listen, but never understand, and you will indeed look, but never perceive.  For this peoples heart has grown dull, and their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes; so that they might not look with their eyes, and listen with their ears, and understand with their heart and turn and I would heal them. But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. - Matthew 13:13-16

In today's Gospel reading, Jesus used a quote form Isaiah to try to explain his method of teaching, using parables.

I am sure a lot of people would have thought Jesus crazy.  He said things that just didn't make sense to them.  He spoke of kingdoms that were not of this world and temples rising again after being destroyed.

So, for those who were not close to him, who didn't understand what he was talking about, he told parables.

I think we would benefit from hearing parables today, rather than all the sound bites and opinions that fill our airwaves.

Straight talk doesn't get past our filter.  We hear what we want to hear, and frame it so it has the meaning we seek.

I guess there is nothing new in that.  I remember my Mom telling me I hear what I want to hear and disregard the rest. 

I used to think that if I could see something with my own eyes, I would know the truth, but even our eyes can be deceived, especially today, when so much is manufactured.

So, how do we know the truth?

Jesus used parables to start conversations, to get people talking about the issue raised, to heva everyone hear each opinion and decide for themselves.

Maybe we should go back to that.

But who among us can come up with some good parables?

We will have to keep looking, if we have eyes to see, that is.

More to come...